


Goodbye

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-16
Updated: 2011-01-16
Packaged: 2017-10-14 19:17:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/152566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione says goodbye. (Totally AU - pretending that Hermione and Charlie were involved in a relationship at some point.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goodbye

She’d always known Charlie Weasley to be the most relaxed of the Weasley brothers. Out of all of them, he was the one who always seemed most comfortable in his own skin. It wasn’t so much his posture, as the way he carried himself. It didn’t matter if he slouched or stood up straight, whether he was dressed in formal robes, or the grubby clothes he worked in. Charlie Weasley carried himself with a sort of quiet confidence that was apparent no matter the situation.

That day, though, she’d seen the last thing she ever expected to see; she’d seen him break.

He’d stood with everyone else alongside the grave, watching them lower the casket into the earth that was still damp from a recent rain. Bill had stood to one side of him, one hand rested on his back, and the twins on his other side, the closest of them touching his shoulder.

A handful of dirt had been tossed in, the people had paid their respects, and still he’d stood there, solid and unmovable as a statue in the gloom. With a final pat on his back, Bill had turned and walked away, and the twins had left as well, a few soft words in parting.

He’d stood there, arms crossed tightly over his chest as if to keep it from ripping open.

She’d wanted to go up to him and say something, but the right words eluded her, and so she’d kept back, in the shadow of the oak where she’d stood the whole service.

Her eyes had lost their focus and her thoughts drifted until Mr. Weasley’s sudden appearance. He’d come to stand directly in front of Charlie, grasping his elbows as if in preparation to give him a good shaking. There was no shaking, though, only an intense gaze that Charlie didn’t seem to be able to look away from, and earnest words that were stolen by the wind.

It had started to drizzle again. She supposed he’d come to convince Charlie to go inside with the rest of the family. But when Charlie had finally moved it hadn’t been his feet, but his arms. He’d them thrown around his father, reaching as a drowning man would for a buoy.

Charlie’s shoulders shook, and he hid his face in his father’s neck. Time seemed to lose all meaning for the two men, and before long they were soaked through. Still, it was longer before either of them made a move to go inside.

Finally, they’d turned to leave, choosing a route that went directly through her hiding place. She couldn’t bring herself to move. And as he’d passed through her, she’d whispered the only word she had left, “Goodbye.”


End file.
